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Bali police have 'rough sketch' of attackers

Kate Lamb

Bali Police say they have a rough sketch of the two intruders that broke into a Canggu villa and repeatedly stabbed Perth father Paul Gill in the early hours of Friday morning.

“We have rough sketches of the perpetrators, based on the description of the victim because he saw them clearly, but it's still rough, as the victim just went through an operation. We are waiting for him to recuperate from the surgery to get a better description,” said Komang Suartana, Badung Police chief.

It is believed the Australian national was stabbed multiple times with a knife in his neck and back before the attackers escaped.

The 42-year-old boat skipper was taken to the intensive care unit of Bali International Medical Centre where he underwent surgery. The hospital says Mr. Gill has now been stabilized.

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“At the moment we cannot stay anything more than he is stable and conscious," Herlia Adisasmita, head of communications at Bali International Medical Centre, told the Herald on Saturday.

The hospital was unable to confirm when Mr. Gill will be released.

Mr. Gill was staying at Villa Chloe in Canggu with his wife and two children and several friends when two thieves broke in.

The victim’s wife Jacqui told police she screamed when she saw the attackers, waking her husband. Mr Gill then wrested with the first attacker to the balcony, when the second attacker snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the neck and back.

Friends staying at the villa were also awoken by screams.

Commenting on Facebook, friends that had stayed at the villa with Mr. Gill several days ago said the villa had been robbed a week earlier and the locks had been changed.

Police say noting was stolen from the premises, located between rice paddy fields and upmarket villas.

Long-time Bali expats say that foreigners are frequently robbed in Bali and the police rarely find the perpetrators. Bali expats asking to remain anonymous say the Balinese are unhappy about the huge disparities of wealth on the island.

Police are also questioning the villa security guard on watch that morning after he told police he was feeling unwell and was in the bathroom when the attackers scaled the fence.

The Badung police are also coordinating with Bali police to ensure police posts at exit points of the island are aware of the situation so the perpetrators can’t escape.

“We believe they are still hiding within the island," said Komang Suartana, Badung Police chief.

An American citizen was also at the police station reporting a robbery on Saturday morning. She told police it was the third time her house has been robbed.